Hindu group removes Sai Baba statues from Varanasi temples
Statues of Sai Baba were removed from several temples in Varanasi as part of a campaign launched by a Hindu outfit—Sanatan Rakshak Dal. The group said that Sai Baba was being worshiped without proper knowledge, which they claim is forbidden according to scriptures. "There is no mention of the worship of Sai Baba in the scriptures," said Shankar Puri, head priest of Annapurna Temple.
'Sai Baba cannot be God'
Raju Das, Mahant of Ayodhya's Hanumangarhi temple, supported the removal of Sai Baba's statues, the Hindustan Times reported. He stated that while Sai could be a religious preacher or a great person, he cannot be considered God. "I am thankful to the person in Varanasi who has removed the idol (of Sai Baba). I urge all the Sanatanis in the country to remove the idol of 'Chaand Peer' (Sai Baba) from temples," Das said.
'Only worship of Lord Shiva should take place in Kashi'
Ajay Sharma, state president of the Sanatan Rakshak Dal, said, "Only the worship of Lord Shiva, the supreme deity, should take place in Kashi (Varanasi)." Respecting the sentiments of devotees, statues of Sai Baba have already been removed from 10 temples. In the coming days, statues will also be removed from the Agastyakunda and Bhuteshwar temples, he said.
'All gods are 1'
The priest of the Sai Temple located in Sant Raghuvar Das Nagar in the city's Sigra area, Samar Ghosh, said, "Those who claim to be Sanatanis today are the same people who established Sai Baba in the temples, and now they are the ones who have removed him from there. All gods are one. God can be seen in any form. Such acts are not right. They will hurt people's faith and spread discord in society."
'Sanatan Dharm incorporates, imbibes and integrates all good aspects'
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for turning religion into a political wrestling arena. "Sanatan Dharm is a religion which incorporates, imbibes and integrates all the good aspects of everyone (including other religions). If in the name of fanaticism ('kattartaa'), they want to remove the idol (from temples), then it is certainly not in the interest of country," Hindvi said.
Sai Baba, a spiritual figure
Sai Baba is widely respected as a spiritual figure whose teachings emphasize love, forgiveness, and charity, appealing to people across different faiths. According to the Shree Saibaba Sansthan Trust in Shirdi, he is regarded as one of India's greatest saints, possessing extraordinary powers and revered as a divine incarnation. The term SAI is said to stand for "Sakshaat Ishwar," meaning "God the absolute," reflecting the belief in his divinity as stated on the trust's website.
